Perth(shire) Locals?

[MadMac]

Just noticed that the excellent Railcar site has recently added a 1965 picture of a seemingly well-patronised DMU at Ballinluig. I believe that back then, a "local" service ran from Perth to Blair Atholl. Would there be any demand for such a service nowadays?

 

[30907]

Just noticed that the excellent Railcar site has recently added a 1965 picture of a seemingly well-patronised DMU at Ballinluig. I believe that back then, a "local" service ran from Perth to Blair Atholl. Would there be any demand for such a service nowadays?

A quick look at Googlemaps shows some modest settlements between Dunkeld and Perth, which have evidently sprouted housing developments, but Stanley appears to be the largest with a population under 1500. The bigger towns have a vastley improved service since 1965, so there may not be capacity even if there is demand.

 

[snookertam]

There's a train on average every 90 minutes between Blair Atholl and Perth, with plans to create an early service throughout between Perth and Inverness which would likely see all services stop at the stations in question. An additional local service wouldn't be needed (not would there likely be any space for it).

 

[Clansman]

Back when that photo was taken, Perth was just like any other major town at the time which was the primary urban centre for a 20 mile radius with it's joint services. It still is, though smaller towns and villages the likes of Murthly, Luncarty, Crieff, Bankfoot, Almnondbank, Blairgowrie, Pitcairngreen, Coupar Angus, and Stanley, had much higher demand for Perth specifically. Death of the high street, Dr Beeching, the M90, and such like over the years has reduced the need for Perth to be the epicentre it once was - and the city is now all but desolate until the council get their act together.

Apart from the usual errands, most of the travel demand in and around Perth is for Dundee mostly, as well as the central belt, with it having probably the highest proportion of Dundee bound journeys of any city outside Edinburgh and Glasgow (around 1 in 5 by rail alone). These communities are expanding rapidly; particularly Bridge of Earn, Newburgh, Murthly, Luncarty, and Almondbank - and there's a major community building project happening which will eventually link up Almondbank with Perth itself, as well as the much needed vital missing link over the Tay to hook Scone, Blairgowrie, and Coupar Angus directly with the A9 to alleviate the need to traverse Perth. Add that to the economic growth of the A9 duelling and Perth is got an underestimated handful to cope with, particularly in the north west of the city and towards the south east.

For any service to maximise it's potential, there would need to be infrastructure improvements between Newburgh and Dunkeld - mainly duelling and line side clearence. Over the past year or two a number of construction projects have happened within close vacinity of the HML north of Perth in the Inveralmond and Luncarty area, with more set to happen in and around Stanley. If key areas adjacent to the line were to be safeguarded , I see no reason at all why a local service wouldn't have the demand to operate within the next decade or so. I wouldn't go as far to say that Blair Atholl would merrit this though. Pitlochry at a push, but running to Dunkeld would be at least a start. But we're talking later rather than sooner.

In sooner terms, Perth is at breaking point in terms of traffic. I don't know if there's a term for it but it's become an interchange city for somewhere else. The city itself is starting to crumble in terms of it's transport infrastructure, as anyone who is familiar with the current bomb site of a bus station. But the demand for better transport links from these communities within a 10 mile radius is sky high. Once the Bertha Park scheme is finished, it'll go beyond what Perth can handle. Indeed it is starting to show now.

To hazard an 'at most' scenario, by 2030/40 I can see the current Edinburgh local being extended to Dunkeld and serving up to 8 new stations. If that Scottish Green proposed pop up station scheme is ever going to come to fruition, then I can such areas around Perth beneffiting most. Right now though, I can only see up to 5 areas in the region that would merrit any sort of look in at a rail station - 2 of them are the only one's for definite which unquestionably need them now.

 

[route:oxford]

Just noticed that the excellent Railcar site has recently added a 1965 picture of a seemingly well-patronised DMU at Ballinluig. I believe that back then, a "local" service ran from Perth to Blair Atholl. Would there be any demand for such a service nowadays?

Trains in Perthshire are outrageously expensive though.

A straightforward peak return for the 12 minute journey between Gleneagles and Dunblane cost £14.30 return.

The 44 minute peak journey from Dunblane to Glasgow is just 60p more.

I really like Perth, traditionally preferring it to Stirling for shopping, but (and this is very off topic) Perth & Kinross need to get a grip on derelict and badly maintained buildings in their towns and city centres. It's horrific looking up at the trees growing out of walls and roof tops and rotten windows.

 

[47271]

The priorities around Perth are to get the station itself into a fit state, bring Dunkeld station up to modern standards (it'll have to be when the A9's dualled at Birnam), and line capacity improvements between Hilton Jn and Ladybank. New stations are most likely at Bridge of Earn and Newburgh, but only when the line's up to it.

Line capacity is also the killer north of Stanley, so a loop at Ballinluig would be essential before they started to try to fit any more trains in.

At a guess you could argue for a station close to the Inveralmond interchange and the new road over to Scone, and to serve the new housing there, but I'm not aware of any ideas being put forward.

Other than Perth and Dunkeld stations, which can't be avoided, it all feels a long way off.

 

[Clansman]

The priorities around Perth are to get the station itself into a fit state, bring Dunkeld station up to modern standards (it'll have to be when the A9's dualled at Birnam), and line capacity improvements between Hilton Jn and Ladybank. New stations are most likely at Bridge of Earn and Newburgh, but only when the line's up to it.

Line capacity is also the killer north of Stanley, so a loop at Ballinluig would be essential before they started to try to fit any more trains in.

At a guess you could argue for a station close to the Inveralmond interchange and the new road over to Scone, and to serve the new housing there, but I'm not aware of any ideas being put forward.

Other than Perth and Dunkeld stations, which can't be avoided, it all feels a long way off.

These are the stations which have any merrit in any sort of opening just now.
Also, it's nice to see I'm not the only one who thinks there's huge potential in a park and ride interchange at Inveralmond! It's baffling that, as you say, nobody of importance has proposed it. Theres as much merrit in Inveralmond compared to a good few station and line openings that have been touted.

If anything, Inveralmond should be the gateway to gauge demand for enhanced transport links to Scone, Murthly, Stanley, Luncarty and beyond. Get the A9 sorted and invest in the roads in and around the rural communities up to Murthly and Blairgowrie, then take advantage of the pop up station scheme by trialing Inveralmond for a year or two.

Bridge of Earn and Newburgh though are no brainers though. When the Perth blockade happens (and it will definitley happen) from Moncrieff, that'd be the perfect chance to get half the line duelled and get them opened - if not now with at least loops at each.

 

[Clansman]

Nice to see at long last somebody taking notice of the potential that some locations around Perth has for greater transport links.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/three-new-rail-links-perth-20054919

Three new rail links in Perth and Kinross mooted
Stations plan explored


Perth and Kinross could be in line for three new train stations.


The PA understands the prospect of a train station on the western edge of the Carse, Bridge of Earn and the creation of one between Perth and Dunkeld are three possibilities being considered.

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The business cases for a station in Bridge of Earn and in the western Carse are currently being explored.


Tactran, Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership, recently received funding from Transport Scotland to do a study on the Perth to Montrose rail network, and the case for a station on the western edge of the Carse is one option being explored. Plans for a station north of Perth to serve the likes of Bertha Park and Stanley are further down the line.


A spokesperson for Tactran said: “The study will focus on whether park and choose sites along the Perth-Montrose rail corridor, maximising the opportunities presented by ScotRail’s Revolution in Rail timetable changes, can address the transport issues of: reducing and managing peak time trips in and through Dundee and Perth; contribute to improving air quality in Perth and Dundee City centres and complement Dundee’s low emission zone proposals; increasing connectivity options for communities outside the two cities, especially the Angus communities, for local and strategic trips.”


The spokesperson told us the money has been provided through Transport Scotland’s Local Rail Development Fund.


The terms of the fund stipulate Tactran has to make a “case for change” - identifying there is a problem that needs to be addressed. The case study then requires an “initial appraisal” - exploring all the options to address these problems before finally giving a “detailed appraisal” of which options are “most likely to best achieve objectives.”


The Bridge of Earn study is further in the future, with Tactran currently at the “case for change” stage.


However, Tactran tell us no work has commenced on the TayCities Park and Choose study which would look at the prospect of creating a train station in the Stanley/Bertha Park area with the creation of a further park and ride facility for Perth.


Four councils - Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Stirling - are involved in Tactran.


Perth and Kinross councillor Andrew Parrott, who sits on the Tactran board, is very excited at the prospect of opening up the rail network around Perth to give more travelling choice to the people of Perth and Kinross.


Perth City Centre’s Cllr Parrott, a keen rail historian, said the move could undo some of the damage done in the 1960s when many small railway stations were closed, as well as helping the environment.


He said: “The climate change agenda was unheard of. It’s well to the fore now and different 60 years later.


“We are drowning under the use of the car.”


He added that with population growth, creating these new train stations “makes sense” but there was “a long way to go” before his hopes of creating three new train stations can become a reality.